Reviewing Usage Patterns
Reviewing usage patterns involves analysing visual data representations, such as heat maps and user recordings, to understand how users interact with a product. This activity helps identify areas of the product that attract the most attention, points of confusion, and potential usability issues.
Goal
The goal is to gain insights into user behaviour and preferences, identify friction points within the user interface, and uncover opportunities for optimising the user experience.
Context
Analytics data can tell you what is happening but not why. The review of usage patterns provides a deeper understanding of why users are behaving in particular ways, allowing product teams to make informed decisions about design improvements and feature prioritisation. This activity is essential for ensuring that product development efforts are aligned with user needs and business objectives.
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Heat Maps | Visual representations showing where users click, move, or scroll on a page, indicating areas of high and low engagement. |
| User Recordings | Video recordings of user sessions, capturing the user's actions, mouse movements, and navigation paths. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Usability Insights Report | A document summarising key findings from the review of usage patterns, including recommended actions. | Informs design improvements, enhancing user experience. |
Anti-patterns
- Relying on Aggregated Data: Focusing solely on aggregated data and neglecting individual user interactions, leading to a lack of understanding of specific user behaviours.
- Ignoring Context: Failing to consider the context of user interactions, leading to misinterpretation of data.
- Overemphasis on High Activity Areas: Focusing only on areas of high engagement and neglecting less engaged but potentially important sections.